Welcome to the online home of Audra Jennings, a book publicist and crafter. Here I share about both. I hope you'll find books you'll want to read and crafts you will want to order. I live a rather boring, single life. At times I would like to think I am humorous. The kids I teach in Bible class tend to think so. I also blog about current seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I don't know why, I just do.

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Friday, June 17, 2016

Sarah Sundin gives insight into her latest release, Anchor in the Storm

An
interview with Sarah Sundin,

Author of Anchor
in the Storm

Male and female
stereotypes have always existed. World War II brought major changes to the
status quo in America as necessity challenged traditional male/female roles and
opportunities. Sarah Sundin delves into these dynamics in the second
installment in her Waves of Freedom series, Anchor in the Storm (Revell/May 3, 2016/ISBN: 9780800723439/ $14.99). As the needs of a nation brought millions of
women into the workforce, some for the first time, ladies were suddenly finding
new strengths and facing new tests, including Lillian Avery.

Q: Anchor
in the Storm is the second release in your Waves of Freedom series, set in the
romantic yet tumultuous World War II period. Tell us a little about this story
and how the series ties together.

For
plucky Lillian Avery, America’s entry into World War II means a chance to prove
herself as a pharmacist in Boston. She loves the wartime challenges of her new
job but spurns the attention of society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg. As Arch’s
destroyer battles U-boats along the East Coast, Lillian uncovers a black market
drug ring. Arch and Lillian work together on the investigation, but he wonders
if he can ever earn her trust and affection.

Anchor in the Storm is the second
book in the Waves of Freedom series. Arch is the best friend of Jim Avery, hero
of Through Waters Deep, and Lillian
is Jim’s sister.

Q: Your book is set around the WWII U-boat
war off the US East Coast, which some readers may not be familiar with. What
was most interesting to you about that historical moment?

In
the first six months of 1942, one hundred merchant ships were sunk off the US
East Coast, killing thousands of merchant marines and passengers. Many of these
sinkings were viewed by people on shore, at the beach with their families. It
was a horrible time as the Navy scrambled to protect shipping with meager
resources, and it really brought the war home to Americans.

Q: Why did you decide to give your
heroine, Lillian Avery, a visible physical disability? In what ways would her
life have been more challenging in 1942 than today?

My
oldest son was born missing his left arm below the elbow. He’s never let it
stop him; he’s a mechanical engineer and a black belt in karate. He’s faced
challenges, but I’m thankful he was born in modern times when we have more
enlightened views of disabilities and have protections for the disabled. So
what would it be like to have a disability in the 1940s, especially for a young
lady with a visible physical one? It was interesting to show Lillian’s
struggles and the prejudices she faces, but also the kindnesses shown to her.

Q: Lillian struggles to open her heart
to God and to others because of past hurts, but a friendship helps her mature
in this area. How have friendships with women impacted your own spiritual and
emotional growth?

So
much. Not only am I an introvert, but I was very unpopular as a child, which
caused me to withdraw. The Lord has placed some amazing women in my life who have
coaxed me out of my shell and loved me for who I am — and who showed me what a
trusting friendship looks like.

Q: Job opportunities exploded for
women in the 1940s because of the draft. What were some of the positive and
negative aspects of this explosion? Would Lillian have been able to find a job
as a pharmacist in that day otherwise?

World
War II brought extreme changes for women. The needs of the nation brought
millions of women into the workforce. The positive benefits include the immense
increase in production that allowed the Allies to win the war. Also, women
challenged themselves with new roles and often discovered new strengths in
themselves. The negative issues are similar to what we face today, primarily
with difficulties finding childcare. As for Lillian, I like to think she would
have found a job during peacetime, but it would have been difficult for a woman
in a man’s field — especially with a disability.

Q: Lillian’s boss wasn’t thrilled with
the idea of hiring a woman, let alone one with a disability. Have you ever
faced challenging relationships on the job? How did you handle those situations?

I’m
also a pharmacist, which made this novel fun to write. But I entered the
profession at a time when women were accepted. I’ve only faced minor
“prejudices.” When I answer the phone, physicians often sometimes sound
surprised I’m the pharmacist — they still expect a man! Mostly, it amuses me.

Like
everyone else, I’ve had challenging relationships on the job. I’ve handled them
through kindness, professionalism and refusing to be drawn into gossip.

Q: How easy is it for women to find
too much security or identity in their career?

In
Anchor in the Storm, both Arch and
Lillian come to question how much of their identity comes from their careers.
It’s easy to define ourselves by the roles we play, but when the roles change,
who are we? The man who loses his job and can’t find a new one in his
profession? The stay-at-home mom facing an empty nest? Anyone facing a career
change? As Christians, we know our identity is in Christ alone, but that’s easier
to say than to feel. The challenge is to hold on to that intellectual knowledge
of our eternal security and identity when our earthly roles change.

Q: Your leading man, Archer Vandenberg,
suffers from combat fatigue, or what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). How was PTSD viewed and treated during World War II versus today?

Our
understanding of PTSD has slowly been changing. In the traditional military, it
was viewed as cowardice or weak nerves. When World War II began, physicians
didn’t really know how to treat combat fatigue, and men were often discharged,
labeled as “unfit for duty.” Great strides were made during the war as
physicians and commanders slowly came to see it as a medical condition, but
treatment remained difficult. It still is.

Q: Have you ever struggled with
judging people and lumping them into categories like some of your main
characters do in Anchor in the Storm?

Don’t
we all? We know it isn’t right, but many of us harbor quiet prejudices, some of
which we aren’t even aware of. Experience has led Arch to see all women as
gold-diggers and has led Lillian to see all men as jerks. It isn’t uncommon for
us to think poorly of certain groups of people due to race, religion,
socioeconomic level, profession, political views, or the way they dress. We
must always work to ferret out those views in our hearts and remind ourselves
that these are human beings, not just members of a group we don’t like.

Q: What are some of the life lessons
you hope soak into your readers’ hearts while they’re enjoying Anchor in the Storm?

Both
Arch and Lillian learn to place their security in Christ alone, to allow God to
be their anchor no matter what happens in life. The theme verse for this novel
is Hebrews 6:18–19 (KJV): “We might have a strong consolation, who have fled
for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast.”

Q: What are a few of your favorite
go-to resources for World War II history information?

My all-time favorite is a website called
Hyperwar (http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/), which contains hundreds of primary documents and books
about World War II. For Anchor in the
Storm, some of my best resources were a gem called Pharmacy in World War II by Dennis B. Worthen and books about the battle
at sea off the East Coast, including Samuel Eliot Morison’s classic, The Battle of the Atlantic: September
1939-May 1943.

Q: What do you have planned for the
third installment in the Waves of Freedom series?

When Tides Turn will be
released in spring 2017, and it features Lt. Dan Avery and Quintessa Beaumont,
Lillian’s friend and roommate. The last thing no-nonsense Dan wants to see on
his radar is fun-loving Tess — even if she has joined the WAVES.

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